need os for A1176 mac mini

Hello. That is a fairly old Mac mini. Depending on the specific model of Mac mini that you have, the maximum OS it can run will be either Mac OS X Snow Leopard or Mac OS X Lion. Do you have the specifics model of Mac mini that you have? Such as a Late 2006 or Mid 2007?

If your computer can run Mac OS X Lion, then your best bet is to use another Mac to make a USB installer for Mac OS X Lion by downloading the installer here and then following the steps here to make a Mac OS X Lion installer. After doing this, you can boot up your Mac mini and hold the "ALT" key on your keyboard to select your USB drive for use during the install process. After doing this, you can then begin to install Mac OS X Lion on your vintage Mac mini.

If you do not have access to another Mac, or your Mac mini can only run Mac OS X Snow Leopard, then your best bet is to order a Mac OS X Snow Leopard DVD off eBay or a similar legitimate shopping platform. Mac OS X Snow Leopard is no longer available for purchase from Apple.